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FAQ

Who do I contact if I have an advising question?

  • Please contact the MBA Program Office by email at mba.program@usi.edu or by phone at 812-464-1926.

How do I check if courses will transfer to the USI MBA program?

  • Admitted applicants who indicate on the application that they have completed graduate coursework that they want to be considered for transfer evaluation will receive the Transfer Credit Request form shortly after acceptance. 
  • Up to 12 graduate credit hours can be transferred from accredited institutions to count towards your MBA degree if those courses align with the USI MBA curriculum.
  • Students with a master's degree from an accredited institution may be admitted to a second (unique) master's degree program at USI.
  • All transfer credit must be 3 credit hours each and no more than seven years old upon completion of your program at USI to be accepted.
  • You must also have a grade of B or better for consideration, and the MBA faculty will assess the transfer courses requested for curriculum alignment.
  • The USI MBA course descriptions can be viewed here.

What is the required GPA to remain in good academic standing in the program?

  • Graduate students must maintain a cumulative graduate program grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 to remain in good standing and progress in the graduate program.

How long does it take to complete the MBA Program?

  • The MBA Program can be completed in as little as 1 year and must be completed within 7 years.

How do I change my MBA concentration, add another MBA concentration, or update my bulletin term?

  • If you wish to change your concentration from what you selected in your admission application, please complete the Change of Graduate Program Form. 
    • If you are changing from one concentration to another (e.g., General MBA to Project Management MBA), please select "replace current concentration with a different concentration."
    • Current Bulletin Term = the term in which you began the program
    • New Bulletin Term and Effective Term = the term in which you are currently enrolled
    • Once processed, your updated concentration(s) can be viewed in DegreeWorks via the graduation cap icon in your myUSI account.

What is the goal of the concentrations?

  • The goal of each MBA concentration is to equip managers with the ability to engage effectively with specialists in a particular domain (e.g., accounting, human resources, data analytics, healthcare administration, etc.). Concentrations do not seek to make an individual a specialist in the domain itself, as there are entire master's programs dedicated to that. Students must declare a concentration if they desire one as it is not automatic. All concentration courses are online. You must declare a concentration in order for that information to appear on your transcript. If you do not declare a concentration, you will be in the general MBA program.

Can I obtain more than one concentration?

  • Yes, MBA students may obtain more than one concentration as long as there are a minimum of two courses (i.e., six credit hours) which are unique to each concentration. All concentrations will appear on the academic transcript.
  • Please note that the Registrar's Office will confer the MBA degree upon completion of the first concentration (i.e., 7 core courses + 3 concentration courses). We recommend saving one core course until after you have completed all desired concentration courses to maintain the MBA tuition rate for a degree-seeking student. If your degree has been conferred and you wish to complete an additional concentration, you may return as a non-degree seeking student to complete the additional concentration courses. The tuition rate and fees assessed would be for a non-degree seeking student. More information can be found on the Bursar's Office Tuition and Fees page. 
  • Please notify the MBA Office at mba.program@usi.edu and the Registrar's Office at registrar@usi.edu once you have completed the courses for an additional concentration. Your record will then be reviewed, and the additional concentration will be added to the academic transcript.

What technology and software do I need?

  • A reliable computer with an operating system such as Windows 7 or later, or Mac OSX.
  • If you are completing assignments from a work computer, make sure your company's security is not blocking blackboard access. Otherwise, your course materials will not work.
  • High-Speed Internet Connection: (e.g., DSL or Cable).
  • Office 365 available through MyUSI (USI login needed) & Adobe Acrobat Reader installed.
  • More information on system requirements can be found here.

When are MBA courses offered and which courses are available for registration?

  • MBA Long-Term Schedule
  • Please pay close attention to when concentration courses are offered as there is limited availability of concentration courses each year.
  • Online registration for MBA courses closes at 4:30 pm Central Standard Time on the Friday before the class begins. If a class is closed (no seats available), please email mba.program@usi.edu.

How do I add or drop a course online?

  • Adding or Dropping Courses 
  • Online Accelerated students select .AO sections.
  • Traditional students select .NO or in-class sections.
  • The last day for students in the online-only program to drop a course with 100% refund is the Friday of the first week of class by 4:30 pm Central Time.

What is the add/drop deadline?

How do I view information on paying tuition?

  • You can view your current bill in TouchNet via the 'TN' icon in your myUSI account.
  • Textbooks are not included in the tuition price. These can be purchased through the Campus Bookstore. Select ‘Course Materials & Textbooks,’ and then click ‘Find Course Materials.’
  • The Bursar's Office webpage contains a complete listing of tuition and fees as well as Billing and Payment information

MBA Scholarships

How do I request a major override or request a hold be removed?

How can I view my grades?

  • Log-In to myUSI. Navigate to Self-Service, and select Student > Student Records > Final Grades.
  • Students can request an official transcript online (electronic transcripts are usually processed the same day if no holds exist) or print an unofficial transcript from myUSI.
  • Faculty cannot communicate grade information via email. Inquiries regarding grades should be directed to the Registrar’s office at registrar@usi.edu or 812-464-1762. If an employer needs the grade for tuition reimbursement before the Registrar’s office releases final grades, they can consider accepting the student's grade from Blackboard.

Can I use my personal email address during my program?

  • Students should only communicate to faculty and staff using the USI-issued email address to comply with FERPA and because the firewall can block emails from non-USI accounts.

  • You can access your Eagles email account by logging in to myUSI and clicking on the Eagles mail app.

How do I leave feedback about a course?

  • Course perception surveys are completed during each MBA course before the last day of the course. An email will be sent to your student email address on how to complete the survey.

How do I create a degree plan?

  • Please use Degree Works (the graduation cap icon in your myUSI account) to view your plan of study. This listing is alphabetical. Courses do not necessarily need to be taken in this order.
  • All students will need to take at least 2 concentration courses in the online 8-week format since most concentration courses are only offered in this format.
  • Please pay close attention to when concentration courses are offered as there is limited availability of concentration courses each year.
  • Students with no experience in Finance courses are advised to take Accounting 601 and Economics 601 before Finance 601.
  • You are welcome to schedule an advising appointment for help creating your degree plan by emailing mba.program@usi.edu.

How do I prepare for my classes and find the textbooks required?

  • Textbooks can be purchased by visiting the Campus Bookstore. Select ‘Course Materials & Textbooks,’ and then click ‘Find Course Materials.’
  • If your course requires a book that is provided through First Day Access, you will receive access to the book in Blackboard on the first day of the course, and an automatic fee will be charged to your account. If you decide you would like to opt out of a First Day Access eBook and fee, you can do so by 4:30 pm (CST) of Friday of the first week of class by completing the First Day Access eBook Opt Out form. Please note that if you opt out, you may not have access to all components of the learning materials and would need to obtain the book and learning materials through another vendor.
  • On the first day of the course, you can access your course by selecting the Blackboard icon in your myUSI account. 
  • Courses are typically broken down into modules, which include a variety of chapter readings, tests, quizzes, assignments, and discussion board posts. Review the course syllabus as well as the information in each module to understand the material that will be covered in the course as well as due dates.
  • All materials used in MBA courses, such as Word documents, Excel documents, videos, slides, and assignments, are protected intellectual property and should not be redistributed in any manner.

Assessments

  • All students will take an end-of-program assessment during each student's last term in the program.
  • The assessment includes a content assessment, which covers the MBA core curriculum, and one of four skill areas (critical thinking, analytical problem solving, written communication, or ethical decision making) developed within the MBA curriculum.
  • Assessment results are used for the AACSB accrediting process and determining the need for curricular interventions.
  • Student performance is evaluated on a collective rather than individual basis, so your score will not impact your GPA.
  • Please have a financial calculator accessible while completing this assessment.
  • Assessments will be marked 'Complete' in DegreeWorks by the end of the semester.

What is Beta Gamma Sigma?

  • Beta Gamma Sigma (BGS) is the international business honor society for AACSB-accredited schools, which are in the top 5% of business school programs around the world. USI MBA students in the top 20% of their peers according to GPA and credit hours earned will receive an email invitation from BGS.

Who can I contact for information on career and internship services?

Do I need to apply to graduate?

How do I know my degree has been conferred and receive my diploma?

  • Degrees are conferred by the USI Registrar's Office for graduates who completed all program requirements and had the formal application and diploma form on file by October 1 for Fall or March 1 for Spring/Summer.
  • Once final grades are posted, the Registrar’s office will conduct a final review of students’ records to ensure the degree requirements have been met.
  • You can see that your degree has been conferred by viewing your unofficial transcript. Log into Self Service and select Student > Student Records > Unofficial Transcript > Submit.
  • Degree conferral is posted on the transcript approximately 3-6 weeks following posting of final grades, and diplomas are mailed approximately 2-3 months following posting of final grades.
  • Please note that if you finish your program in Spring 1 or Fall 1, the Registrar's Office will conduct a final review of your record and confer your degree after the end of the Spring or Fall semester.